Voluntary Transparency Notice Only for Purchase of 3 Force Plates - 703397453

Descriptions

Voluntary Transparency Notice only for intent to award a contract. The Authority intends to place this contract via a negotiated procedure without prior notice because competition is absent for technical reasons. Data relating to military movements (i.e., walking, marching, and running) was captured during a pilot RM Biomechanics Programme (RMBP), using medical grade force plates, with optimised strain gauge technology. This equipment and corresponding jig system has been developed and used in partnership with a cadre of seven academic establishments, who are trained in the analysis of data produced by these systems. There is a compatibility requirement between MOD locations, and academic partners with the risk that using a different system would result in a loss in data validity and reliability. Previous work across the RN/ RM (BRNC and CTCRM) pilot has been undertaken with this force plate system and data has been captured at a higher strain gauge standard than that delivered by piezoelectric plate alternatives. The Authority views that there is a risk that moving to alternate systems would require a period of qualification and development. As the Authority wishes to continue the study of MSKI at pace, it considers the uncertainty around qualifying and modifying alternate systems as a risk, with no guarantee that the equipment could be qualified within our timeframe, or that data produced would be consistent with that previously captured. The Authority considers this an intolerable risk to data integrity and its subsequent analysis.